Thursday, December 23, 2010

Still Yet Another Noisy Exit

Perhaps it is because the media now covers anything and everything FCPA related.

In any event, it is noticeable.

There has been still yet another "noisy exist."

Including the below example, I count five in the last few months. See here, here and here for the prior posts.

In October 2009, Stephen Lowe was hired by Allison Transmission ("Allison") as its Managing Director, China, Japan & Korea Operations. [Allison (here) is an Indiana based designer, manufacturer and supplier of automatic transmissions for medium- and heavy-duty commercial vehicles and military vehicles. In 2007 (see here) The Carlyle Group and Onex Corporation acquired Allison Transmission from General Motors Corporation for US$5.575 billion.]

Lowe alleges in this complaint recently filed in Marion County (Indiana) Superior Court that Allison fired him in July 2010 because he "refused to engage in violations of the FCPA." Lowe's complaint implicates both Allison's Vice President of International Sales and Marketing ("Vice President") and Allison's Commercial Director of Asia Strategy ("Commercial Director").

Among other things, Lowe alleges that: (i) he witnessed the Commercial Director deliver a cash filled envelope to Beijing City Bus officials during dinner; (ii) he heard the Commercial Director describe how he purchased silver jewelry for Chinese government officials "in order to please the officials" (iii) the Commercial Director bragged about winning a Beijing City Bus Olympics contract by doing "whatever it took to please the officials" "including giving gifts, money and prostitutes" and (iv) the Commercial Director "deliberately lost" high-stakes card games to "key Beijing City Bus officials." [Brain teaser of the day - is deliberately losing a high-stakes card game to a "foreign official" providing the official with a "thing of value"?]

According to the complaint, Allison's Vice President knew, and approved of, certain of the Commercial Director's conduct. According to the complaint, "a month before Allison fired him" Lowe disclosed his concerns about the Commercial Director and the Vice President to Allison's Marketing Manager.

Lowe's complaint, filed by The Employment Law Group law firm, alleges various Indiana state law causes of action including retaliatory discharge, breach of contract, and breach of the implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing.

For additional coverage of Lowe's complaint, see here from the Indiana Business Journal.